Yea! That's the idea - I'll be introducing the Architect character in the next gameplay vid and he will be a lot more fun to pilot. Take more hits, can also build structures/modify the terrain. Should be a lot of fun pounding on the robot fodder

I'm back on cubes for now (though the engine can run the hexes just fine), however I am working on a terrain smoothing algorithm that makes it look a bit more like the hexes. The cubes are much easier to optimize though, and since I don't want peoples computers to struggle, that's what I am focusing on right now. Don't worry, they are still there, and I might bring them back for some alien looking terrain!

I did read that somewhere, I just love the look of Hex's. Maybe just a switch for people with the powerful computers to run the unoptimised version ?Any chance on Kickstarter Milestones being added even if they're not achieved ?

Yeah, it makes me really grumpy that people can wander along and make stuff like this with seemingly no effort I've spent 32 years coding and I'm still crap at making games. I can't even get my head around 3d. Still, that's why I bunged money at the project on Kickstarter!

You guys are too kind. It's true I haven't made a game before - but I have the robotics programming experience (which has helped a bunch!) - so hopefully that doesn't make you too grumpy Cas It's funny, when I was learning the ropes with openGL (ha, when... all the time still it seems) I actually kept running into posts you made, Cas. The internet is a great thing, definitely a good time to learn openGL and game making. And the big step up in processing power from robots to laptops/desktops has been really nice. I've also done a bunch of 3D modelling before (years and years at this point, plus all the CAD for the robots) - so that's definitely part of the reason I can do that. In a lot of ways, game logic is very similar to robot logic - all a big state machine, but instead of world interaction, everything is essentially simulated.

@Joshua Waring - if some of the KS milestones aren't hit I will probably just not focus on them until later. I still want to get everything into the game, but I'll put my effort into the gameplay and other elements initially. I want to give everything the attention it deserves, and that takes time. So the idea is that more KS money basically buys me more full-time working on everything so that I can really get everything into good shape within my time frame

As for the hexes, haha, we'll see. Like I said, still in the engine (easy to turn right back on), and I have this big translation function for all the physics and rendering in the game to use them... but it just isn't as easy as... well, not translating everything. I will say maybe on them - and potentially as a graphics switch, but more likely as separate alien worlds/areas.

Congratulations on getting funded. $27,522 is really a huge amount of money, especially when the goal was $5000.

Don't forget the cut Kickstarter takes, the cut the payment processor takes and the biggest cut, which will be income tax. You should be happy to end up with slightly over half of the contributed amount.

Hi, appreciate more people! Σ ♥ = ¾Learn how to award medals... and work your way up the social rankings!

ra4king - awesome! There were definitely a bunch of people who had transactions fails, but it seems like Kickstarter/Amazon sends out mail every 24 hours for 14 days (10 days left) or until it is fixed, so that's pretty cool (or maybe super annoying? Haha), but thanks for fixing your pledge

Riven - very much true, but hey - it's a huge help regardless of the money cuts - I'm psyched to see people so excited, and I'm pumped to get Dysis out there!

masteryoom - Woo! I'm glad you are excited! My plan is to have the prototype out in December, the Beta in March, and get the final game out sometime after that!

I have a big announcement for Dysis (though everyone who pledged on Kickstarter should have already gotten the update email!): I've begun the Dysis Greenlight Campaign!

I've got an updated trailer (just visuals updated - I wanted greenlight folks to experience the same trailer I developed for Kickstarter... and I wanted to not spend a ton of time whipping up an alternate trailer right now when I can be working on in-game stuff):

Riven - very much true, but hey - it's a huge help regardless of the money cuts - I'm psyched to see people so excited, and I'm pumped to get Dysis out there!

It should be interesting for you seek professional advice whether it is a good idea for you to start a company. This can have a major influence on how much the tax cut is - and might save you thousands of dollars.

Hi, appreciate more people! Σ ♥ = ¾Learn how to award medals... and work your way up the social rankings!

Riven - ya, I've researched it a bit, there are definitely tax breaks for indie game companies under research and development, deferred taxes (accrual accounting - since my products aren't actually in peoples hands yet), and lastly (that I know of... but I will be looking into this a lot now that the KS is over) there is domestic production activity deduction. All in all, the tax cut is bigger than the 9-10% that Amazon and Kickstarter take out, plus I have to pay for T-Shirts and stuff, but it's still a big help! As things go forward I'll be sure to mark my progress so that anyone else seeking to do Kickstarter campaigns will know what I run in to, what maybe to avoid, or what I would suggest doing differently (a lot of this is brand new territory for me, but I'm really enjoying the experience!)

ra4king - oh dear... I had totally forgotten about finals. That's certainly an interesting development. Not to worry - I'll help you fail your academic career with style: video games! Haha, but seriously - I'll look at releasing during a time that hopefully doesn't disturb too many folks studying - shall I aim for early March so you have the last week to study? =p Perhaps waiting until after your finals (as a reward to yourself) would be best?

ra4king - oh dear... I had totally forgotten about finals. That's certainly an interesting development. Not to worry - I'll help you fail your academic career with style: video games! Haha, but seriously - I'll look at releasing during a time that hopefully doesn't disturb too many folks studying - shall I aim for early March so you have the last week to study? =p Perhaps waiting until after your finals (as a reward to yourself) would be best?

I'll most likely have time to play it, I'm a HUGE procrastinator anyway. But I definitely know what I'm wasting my summer doing....

Unfortunately, I cannot give you those numbers as I don't have them. I am given the number of votes per day against the average number of votes in the top hundred in bar graph form - so I just know my ratio (vaguely) against that average. I also know the total number of unique visitors as well as the number of favorites (20k, and 800 respectively), but again, couldn't tell you how many of those visitors have voted yes on Dysis. As far as getting greenlit, again I am at a loss. I am quite sure that you need to be in the top 100, (and I originally thought the top 10), but it seems like it is up to Valve to choose once you are in the top 100, as some games were closer to the 50 mark and got greenlit this past month.

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